Friday, December 16, 2005

This means I have a choice. Do I want David Cameron or Charles Kennedy as the leader of my party? So the leadership challenger this week has finally owned up, it was David C all along, and here we were thinking it was John Hemming again.

Seriously, I am starting to suspect that this weeks 'secret leaks' really were stage managed by the David C camp, easily done.

I have already made up my mind where my leadership vote is to be cast.

I have just seen David Cameron's website launched this evening, many activists, Councillors and MP's have been sent emails inviting them to view this site, http://libdems4cameron.com/

I have posted a quick invitation to Liberal Conservatives to join us on our local web page http://warwick-leamington-libdems.org.uk/news/23.html.

Personally I find the idea of joining the Conservatives obhorent, I simply cannot trust them nor do I have any respect for them.

This whole thing stinks, it really makes me wonder whether there were any 'secret briefings' of the press this week. No one has owned up to it and if this was a supposed leadership challenge it was very clumsy. How difficult would it have been for Cameron to create a few leaks to the Tory controlled press? An excellent launch to his Libdem4cameron campain.

There is a very good rebuttal in Simon Mollan's blog http://innerwestcentral.blogspot.com/2005/12/david-camerons-forked-tongue.html

This is clearly the first salvo in the fight for the centre ground. Remember Sun Tsu say, "Always fight on the ground of your choosing" in this battle we have the high ground, the centre ground, our home turf, this is the ground of our choosing and we can win this.

A lot has been said this week about the need for Charles Kennedy to raise his game. I do not wish to comment on what has already been said, other than I feel it was very unwise, whoever it was who briefed the press earlier this week.

The political climate has changed for us all in the party, an ever shifting climate. Our increased presence in Westminster, the overdue and long wait for Blair to step down and of course Cameron's honeymoon period as leader of the Conservatives.

We have a Political climate where Labour and the Tories occupy very similar ground in the right authoritarian quadrant of the political compass. This is leaving a vacuum for those who still believe in social justice and for those who believe in individual liberty. This is the space where the Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats have held for many decades. Whilst the other two parties pay lip service to moving into this hallowed centre ground in a bid to reassure disaffected voters, this is our natural homeland, our turf, based on core values rather than a knee jerk lurch to the left to appease the opinion polls.

The fact that we are being attacked on two fronts signifies that the other two parties see us as a genuine threat and this will only intensify. We should continue to confidently hold this ground, from a position of strength, where sound economic principles meet social justice and opportunity for all.

It is not only Charles Kennedy that needs to raise the game, we all do, I have recognised this in myself, in our local party, at all levels. It is encouraging to see that there are many at all levels of the party that recognise this and are willing to do all that is needed to meet this challenge. There is a real sense of energy building in the party at the moment and it is not surprising that Cameron needs to attack this. We are his biggest threat.